City of Rock, Idaho

 On our way to Oregon, we had planned to meet up with our good friends from Kalispell, Montana in Idaho. 
Luke is the one that got Tyler really into rock climbing, and this was a rock climbers dream place. So many rocks to climb! And they were HUGE!
The first night there was great. It was great to catch up with Becca and Luke, and the kids ran around and just loved playing together... and then....

 We got sick. Kellen, Soren, Ayla and myself all ended up sick. Throwing up sick, not just tired sick either. The hammock worked out great, because you could keep away from the ants, and just lean over the edge and throw up. I know, gross.

Ayla got it the worst.... she was sick for 3 of the 4 days. We actually got really worried with her eyes sunken in and the inability to keep anything down. We took her to the local (60 miles away) ER and they gave us some anti nausea medication, but said she was right on the cusp of being dehydrated, but they didn't want to stick her with a needle if they didn't have to (thank goodness, because that girl is awful with needles!)

Kellen's sickness only lasted a day... so he was his usually rascally self for the camping trip.

These guys are adorable! It is hard to believe this boy will be one soon!

Our last stander! He never got sick... his immune system must be pretty good. 
Oh, wait... he did get sick like a week later. But we cannot verify it was the same illness.

Above is camp for the first couple days... everyone asleep under a sheet...

and here is our last day. Having a fun little snack picnic under the shade of a big rock while Tyler climbed with some of the kids.

 Colton getting in a climb with Tyler... he went climbing a couple different times with Tyler and the crew, and I stayed back nursing the kids and myself back to health.  

But still... the sickness really wasn't very fun for any of us. Our trip was supposed to be fun filled with some awesome people... 
Instead, the awesome people tried to keep a respectable distance from the sick camp... I can only imagine how it was back in the day when part of the group got cholera or whatever!!

Soren doing his bear crawl... he still does it and it always gets some chuckles from people!

 Ayla getting in a climb. For a girl who was sick and couldn't keep anything down for 3+ days... we were amazed. She climbed up a HUGE rock (like 6 stories tall or more), without stopping. All she had eaten was a couple peanut butter crackers and gatorade! Yes, not good on our parenting, but she REALLY wanted to climb once, and we were leaving that night! So.... memories were made.

 Becca and I encouraged Kellen to go find a big rock, he looks up at the HUGE rock Tyler was climbing with Colton, and says with his hands in the air "It's too BIG!" It was so cute.
Kadence and Gracyne were so sweet while we were sick. They made cards for the kids, and would bring little gifts. I wish it would have been less sickness, and more fun!

 The kids doing some "rock climbing" at base camp.

 Look at that dirt!!! What cute brothers.

The geological area of City of Rock was so neat. It was just like pastures, and then all of a sudden HUGE rocks jutted out of the ground all over the place. I don't know the history, but there were wagon trails that went through the area, and some of the pioneers wrote their names on the rocks. It was really neat. We hope to go back again sometime.